Prickly Thistle Rebel Fund
The Rebel Fund is donated by Prickly Thistle owner Clare Campbell to enable UHI students to ‘disrupt thinking’ in the creative industries.
In 2019, the recipients of this funding were HND Visual Communication students at Inverness College UHI who were tasked with creating new design concepts, which showcased the region and the student experience in the Highlands and Islands. Clare also worked with BSc (Hons) Architectural Technology students last year, setting them the challenge of designing plans for her new Black House Mill, on the Black Isle, which she now plans to build. The students’ designs have already been granted planning permission and are going through the building warrant stage.
Prickly Thistle have recently launched the first UK filtration tested woven wool face masks. The durability of the 100% natural fibre cloth for the Mask of Integrity is based on key learnings from the woven sail craftsmanship of the Viking age. Clare was inspired after reading The Golden Thread written by Kassia St Clair and connected with Professor Donna Heddle, Director of the University of the Highlands and Islands Institute for Northern Studies to further explore this.
In addition to establishing the Rebel Fund, Clare is a regular donor to the university, one of a growing number of local businesses kindly contributing to scholarships and the Student Development Fund, which provide financial support to students who need help to continue their studies or to take advantage of development opportunities.
"I am delighted that the Prickly Thistle Rebel Fund has allowed the students to make that final step from the design stage to having their products produced. Our company ethos is design and manufacture locally and this project has allowed students to do just that. It is a pleasure to support the University of the Highlands and Islands and its students in this way and I would urge others to do what they can to support the next generation.”
Clare Campbell
